I'm new here and I have a question. I did search for similar post first, but I didn't find it. So here it goes.

I'm about to buy a new bike, a specialized tarmac sl-4 red. My objective is to become the best climber I can be, so I chose this bike.I was offered to replace the original Roval CLX40 wheels with a pair of Zipp 202 Firecrest wheels, for extra 600 dolars. Is it worth it? Are the zipps really better? Their weight is very similar, but the higher profile of the CLX40 seems to indicate that it's going to be better on the flat. Is that true? Are the zipps really supposed to be better on the mountains? Why?

the zipps have the wider firecrest profile which is supposed to give drag comparable to deeper rims

unless you can find comparable windtunnel data on the roval it is really a guess, but the 202 fc is reported to give better performance than the much deeper 2009 404s ( http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=11045" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ), so i'd bet the zipps will outperform the rovals

at 0 degree yaw, there'll be little in it, as yaw increases i think the zipps will have less drag and be more stable

if you spend a lot of time solo at >40kph the lower drag could be worthwhile, also if you're a light rider and it's often windy where you ride then that'd be a good reason too

I haven't ridden the 202 FC but have ridden the 404FCC and the clx40 and if I was between the two off the rack - my money would go the the CLX. Those are about the best carbon wheels I've ridden and brake better than my alloy HED rims.

In my experience Zipp's hubs have been fantastic to work on which combined with an already outstanding product makes them hard to beat for me. I'm considering a set of 202 FC clinchers as training wheels simply because of how serviceable they are. Sure the rims are expensive but I don't see them being an issue and if I do crack one (I'd likely break any rim in that event) I'll pay the difference because for me as a wheelset to live with they are worth the premium.

The Zipp 202 Firecrest is a really good wheel. Way nicer than the Roval wheel that you speak of.Do you have an aluminum wheel that you can train on everyday? No way I would train on the Zipp 202.Even though it is a nice wheel- it is a race wheel. You will wear out the brake tracks by riding it daily, if not damage the wheel on a pothole or something. Also, carbon wheels are no fun in the rain.

I understand what your saying from a cost perspective however for me I'm offsetting this against the enjoyment of riding that wheel set. I'm not saying it's impervious to wear. It's a personal opinion and I completely accept and understand others will see it differently. It also depends on your purchase price. Hope that makes sense

The Zipp 202 Firecrest is a really good wheel. Way nicer than the Roval wheel that you speak of.Do you have an aluminum wheel that you can train on everyday? No way I would train on the Zipp 202.Even though it is a nice wheel- it is a race wheel. You will wear out the brake tracks by riding it daily, if not damage the wheel on a pothole or something. Also, carbon wheels are no fun in the rain.

Have you ever ridden the new CLX40? Everything you said is basically common Internet folklore.

I dont know about the Roval. I've seen them in my LBS and my LBS says they're gonna be the cat's meow once they get out there. Brake tract is suppose to be the shet. Hubs are DT. All not too bad. As for the Zipp's, I've been on the 303 FC for a year. I train, race, climb...everything. They never come off. What I dont like is the constant hub adjustment required, at least for the rear. Nothing is more annoying than the brake pads grazing the brake tract in the midst of a double century! I've blown 3 tubes on some crazy downhills. Scarey stuff, granted I use latex tubes. What I'm sold on now and going to order is the Enve SES 3.4. Those hoops combined with Alchemy hubs (Tune would be the lightest, but not the stiffest) and Sapim spokes. Ultimate climbers in my book and from what I've been told. I can't wait until Alchemy finishes their Shimano 11sp hub, then I'll be all over it.It might be bye-bye Zipps.

I know the CLX40 has ceramic bearings, I've held the bearings and they spin, spin, spin, but also the spoke nipples are not accessable for service unless you remove the rubber, maybe an issue for you or not. Currently, Zipp Firecrest are pretty much the Gold standard for carbon rims, heat tollerance and braking performance, the Enve's are up there as well. To me the CLX are unproven, they may be the best, they may not be, but its doing my head in trying to decide. I've heard there have been issues with Zipp hubs, but then again the latest version of them are supposed to be pretty good.

Fortunately the shop I'm buying my S-Works through have said they will let me test ride their demo sets of Zipp 202 FC, Zipp 303 FC, CLX40 and Enve 3.4, so should have a pretty good idea by the end of it. None of them are cheap wheels, but the Enve's will cost me a bit more over the other three builds. I guess its nice problem to have, really .

I don't disagree with anything you have said above but if I may offer an opinion on the ceramic bearings based on quite a lot of personal experience and trial & error. OEM ceramic bearings that I have come across are hybrid bearings and are not worth swaying your wheel decision over. Hybrid bearings have there own strengths and benifits although I'm no bearing engineer so I won't waffle on. They usually are over lubricated and normally have fairly standard seals which drag, its the combination of playing with these two variables that manufacturers use to adjust how they feel in your hands. If I stripped all the grease and removed the seals they would be radically different and although they would now be much closer to a full ceramic bearing performance wise (by feel) they will not survive being used in that state. Ceramic bearings can, contamination aside, be run dry or with a very very light lube. This isn't their only advantage and they where not designed for cycling so their heat tolerance for example is irrelevant but choose a wheelset based on other merits. You can upgrade to higher quality bearings should you wish at a later time very easily.

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